Pre-pandemic, I was the queen of brunch. On any given weekend, I could walk outside of my apartment and there were at least five different brunch spots that I could choose from within walking distance of my humble abode–with endless possibilities if I was only willing to hop in the car. During my Brunch Queen era I ruled the weekends; slurping mimosas and chowing down on bougie French toast with all my nearest and dearest. A weekend couldn’t pass without at least one brunch resy on the books. But my love for brunch started long before that–we’re talking the 1990s, babies. A time when brunch wasn’t a semi-lackluster weekly occurrence; brunch was a special occasion, where extended family would drive to meet up at some fancy restaurant. I’d ditch my neon-colored biker shorts and oversized Hanson t-shirt in favor of my Sunday best: some atrocious dress that my father had probably picked out. We’d all pile into the family car and hurtle toward a far-off, fantastical destination where I’d see my grandparents, cousins, and most importantly stuff my face. We used to go to this little chalet with a trout stream running through the cellar and a variety of things that could be flambéed tableside…those were the days, but that’s a story for another time. I don’t know when it happened, but at some point brunch stopped being “the event.” What do I mean by that? How do I explain? It’s like that moment where Christmas stops being about the spirit of the season and starts being about the presents–and I don’t mean the giving of gifts, I mean the receiving. It feels like there was some sort of unfortunate cultural shift where we stopped cherishing brunch, a beloved weekend pastime where good food and bevvies are shared with our favorite people, and instead we started behaving like little monsters with an unquenchable thirst for bottomless mimosas. I’m not hating, babe. If bottomless mimosas are your thing, do you. But I beg you to accept this–hedonic adaptation is a real thing, and it’s a bitch. Hedonic adaptation is that moment that your ‘new car’ just becomes your car. That type of hedonism sneaks up on you: and you never see it coming. Let’s not let hedonic adaptation steal the joy of a really good brunch. I propose we take brunch back. 

Recently, Katie Jo (the Junk Ditch content queen–all hail!) was super kind enough to hook me up with a gift card with only one stipulation: that I check out Junk Ditch Huntington Tap and report back. As soon as they posted their new GK Griddle breakfast sammie on Insta, I was like, “Yeah, this is a no-brainer–I’m going there for brunch.” Sheesh, am I glad I did. I can already hear the nay-sayers in my anxiety-riddled brain being like, “But there’s a Junk Ditch in Fort Wayne. Why would you drive all the way to Huntington, you stupid-dumb-face.” And to this fictional voice manifested from my own self-doubt I say, “It was one of the smarter choices I’ve ever made.” I had a fantastical time. It was honestly only thirty minutes from door to door for me. The drive is gorgeous–do y’all who’ve lived in the Midwest for, like, ever know that you live somewhere kind of lovely? (There goes that hedonic adaptation again. Just saying.) While I flew down country roads in my little pink car, blasting the stereo with the windows down like I was young and reckless again for a moment, it provided time to think the following thought: why are we so content to stay within our little self-imposed bubbles? We gotta get out more, babies. 

Junk Ditch Huntington Tap is an adorable little spot in an equally adorable little town. Walkable sidewalks flooded with sunshine–this is an excellent place to meet up with the besties for brunch. Enter the taproom and you’ll find an interior that’s chill and entirely disarming. A sort of Modern Farmhouse aesthetic with subtle nods to industrialism–with a single, primary-colored wall mural boasting the phrase “Local Farms Local Food.” How apropos! Now, this is admittedly only my second experience dining at a Junk Ditch location, but I feel really, overwhelmingly compelled to gush about the service. The first time I visited Junk Ditch in Fort Wayne, I was with my friend Lauren, and felt like the service was excellent–you can read that blog post when you finish with this one, if you’d like. But my brunch today in Huntington really cemented for me that superb service is clearly a priority at Junk Ditch. At both locations, they were very much interested in establishing if I’d been there before, if I had any allergies, any questions about the menu, and so on. Anyone who has either eaten at a renowned, fine dining restaurant or has already finished season two of The Bear knows that this level of above-and-beyond service and concern for detail isn’t found at most restaurants that the average person pops into on any given day of the week–but, truly, it elevates the experience. Upon learning it was my first time dining at the Huntington location, our waiter Tristin said, “If there’s anything that I can do to make today special for you, please just let me know.” Now, being the low-key-baddie I am, I would never take him up on this offer–he’d be lucky if I asked him for water if I was on fire. But, for me, it’s the asking that took this from just ‘eating out’ and transformed it into a truly special dining experience. That and, at the end of the meal, he sweetly provided me with a dinner menu to take home with me–in case I wanted to come back for dinner and–drum roll, please–a free piece of GK Carrot Cake to celebrate my first visit to Junk Ditch Huntington Tap. Did he know that GK Carrot Cake is my absolute favorite? Probably not. But it is. So, now I’m in love and want to spend all my time and money at Junk Ditch Huntington Tap. 

It’s not just the free cake that’s got me giddy, though. My sweet, sweet babies–the food–I swoon. Finding words will be difficult for this one. It’s been over an hour, I should be entirely stuffed, but my mouth is still watering when I think about the bomb brunch I just had. So, let’s get at it: my bestie went basic and had some coffee. But, like, they have really good coffee. They serve up Conjure Coffee and, my bestie means no disrespect by this, but he thinks the Conjure Coffee from Junk Ditch actually tastes even better than what he’s gotten from going to Conjure Coffee in the past. I didn’t drink the coffee, so I can’t weigh in on this–I can only relay the message. I was too busy sucking down a Bloody Mary. Holy guacamole, if you’re into a ‘basic’ bloody that serves on flavor but with just a little tickle of heat, then this is your jam, babe. This is a bloody that’s dressed up with Tajín and lime–what’s not to love? Simple; maybe just slightly left of classic. You know, like enough to keep it interesting without reinventing the wheel. Do I recommend? You know I do. 

As for food: yes, it was only two of us dining, but we got three entrées because I am a chronic overachiever and when asked to deliver I am going to freaking bring it. (Also, it’s just really hard to choose because everything on the menu is bombbbbbb.) Here’s where we landed: bestie had the GK Griddle, I had the Brunch Burger, we shared the Chicken & Waffles, and also technically shared bites of everything so we both had a bit of it all. Let’s start with the GK Griddle, the newest item on their brunch menu. This little baby is a GK Cinnamon Roll turned into a bun to hold a super yummy sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sammie. But it’s not just ya basic SEC. Oh no, cutie–we’re talking orgasmical breakfast sausage (I said what I said), perfectly nutty Gruyère, and a pristinely executed fried egg with a picture perfect runny yolk. Bestie says this is for the McGriddle lovers who want to upgrade their breakfast experience–but that’s not my world, so I wouldn’t know. What I do know is that, upon trying a bite, I was invested. I am a sausage, egg, and cheese girl–’til death do us part; this will always be my breakfast sammie of choice. That said, I’m also a sweet and salty girl. Let me one up that, I’m also a “have my cake and eat it, too” kind of lady. This sandwich caters to all of those personality types at the same time. You get your perfect SEC, with the added benefit of sweet and salty from swapping out a regular bun or bagel for a cinnamon roll, and you’re not choosing between a sweet or savory breakfast–you’re having both without sacrificing one for the other. You’re welcome.

If the phrase “sweet and salty” caught your attention, but you’re not really feeling a breakfast sandwich, I got you, fam. The Chicken & Waffles is easily the best item on their brunch menu. Our server Tristin said it’s his favorite, and even swung back by the table later for a quick convo on the vv important subject of chicken and waffles. See–prior to starting work at Junk Ditch, he’d only ever had your basic chicken and waffles. We’re talking, like, tendies with a plain waffle. Good–but, shall we say, potentially underwhelming? Obviously, this menu item caught his eye and, if I’m remembering correctly, it was the first thing he tried after starting work at Junk Ditch–from then on, he was hooked, and frankly, my bestie and I were also hooked upon first bite. I have eaten more than my fair share of chicken and waffles in my time and this variation is truly special. Upon a perfectly crisped waffle sits pieces of deliciously seasoned, juicy fried chicken. The unexpected addition of orange slices is bizarre in my brain, but more than welcome in my mouth and belly. There’s a maple chickpea puree, adding sweetness and texture, a cilantro pesto, bringing this dish to life like a lightning bolt to Frankenstein’s monster, and an infused maple syrup–bringing sweetness, with a hint of black pepper. We go beyond the basic ‘sweet and salty’ with this dish. We’re covering the ‘road less traveled’ where we bring sweet, salty, spicy, some umami action, even a hint of bitterness all together–like some kind of flavor-based Captain Planet and The Planeteers–to create unrivaled perfection. All the elements of this dish are cool on their own; but when combined the flavor is symphonic and, honestly, better than you can conceptualize without trying it for yourself.

As for the brunch burger, it wasn’t our first time meeting. I’d gotten this burger as takeout in my very early days of living in Fort Wayne. I confidently told a cheffy friend that it’s the best brunch burger I’ve ever had–and I stand by my assessment. This brunch burger is not your average brunch burger. Why? Your average brunch burger is a regular burger, traditionally a lunch or dinner item, dressed up with some bacon and eggs–maybe maple syrup if someone is feeling frisky–and paraded in front of you just slightly earlier in the day. You’re then told, “This is a brunch item,” and you say, “Okay,” because you don’t want to be argumentative and you enjoy it enough–and besides, you came for the company, so who cares if the burger is just meh. You won’t have to go through that tired song and dance with Junk Ditch’s Brunch Burger. I posit that rather than reconstructing a dinner item (a burger) to be appropriate for brunch, they have reinvented the breakfast sandwich into a burger. Just hang with me here, we both know my brain can go in some wild directions, but have I ever let you down before–-please don’t answer that unless it’s with wild enthusiasm and exuberant positive affirmations. This very unique Brunch Burger begins with a GK English Muffin–for those in the know, obvious perfection. For those uninformed, please just try one of these English muffins so that you may understand the exquisiteness firsthand. This is my first piece of evidence: in lieu of a bun, we’re utilizing an English muffin. Already off to a better start than your average-schmuck-brunch-burger. We then insert into the doughy deliciousness a Wood Farms beef patty–there is no better choice. No more words need to be said on this subject. Top with Ossian Bacon, again, a local staple–this screams breakfast, does it not? Cheddar cheese, yes please. Crispy onion–not something you see on every breakfast table across America, but this is the small detail that reminds you that you’re eating a brilliantly conceptualized Brunch Burger and you will thank them for this addition when you try it for yourself. Then, the pièce de résistance, soft scrambled eggs. A perfect soft scramble is nearly unctuous and buttery; melding with the melty cheddar cheese and horseradish aioli to almost create a sauce of itself to coat this decadent Brunch Burger. I stand by what I’ve said: it is the best Brunch Burger I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. You really ought to try it.

Now, I know that I tend to dwell on the positives, leaving some to question as to how forthcoming my silly little reviews may be. And for those who have questioned me in the past, when I’ve had nothing to gain from sharing my thoughts, you’ll likely scrutinize me now–after all, I was incentivized to go to this location with a gift card and was then bestowed the most heavenly slice of Carrot Cake. Surely, it would be difficult for any human being to remain impartial under such lovely circumstances. But, I’d like you to notice something–I was honest about all of it. I didn’t hide the incentive that led me to having brunch at Junk Ditch Huntington Tap–I shared the truth of my journey with you. I could have gobbled down my slice of carrot cake like a greedy little gremlin in secret, but instead I shared the remarkable act of kindness–because that felt important to me–it’s so telling of what kind of hospitable institution Junk Ditch is. So, perhaps, given my honesty on all subject matters, you’ll believe me when I say that the food is truly as delicious as I describe. The staff are kind and welcoming. The vibes are immaculate. I think that this is where correcting our course begins. Prioritize your happiness. Prioritize delicious food. Prioritize brunch. Step outside your bubble–there are amazing things waiting for you there. And if you’re still not sure that you can trust my words (That’s okay, we don’t know each other that well yet–but I hope to earn your trust in time.) You should know that I’m planning to go back to Junk Ditch Huntington Tap for dinner later this week. No incentives. No hopes of free cake. Just the knowledge that great food and good times lie in store for me when I exit my comfort zone. Truly, thank you Junk Ditch Huntington Tap and Katie Jo for such a memorable meal–I can’t wait for my next adventure.